Most Apple Chargers Sold on Amazon Are Counterfeit

Don't click that order button yet.

After receiving complaints that its chargers were overheating and catching on fire, Apple took matters into its own hands. The tech giant began purchasing so-called "genuine" Apple power adapters and charging cables directly from Amazon, ABC News reports, then tested them for authenticity. After undergoing tests, Apple found that approximately 90% of those purchased on Amazon were counterfeit.

The faulty electronics were eventually traced back to a company called Mobile Star, which Apple promptly filed a trademark infringement against and opened a lawsuit for selling counterfeit products through Amazon, PatentlyApple reports. An Amazon spokeswoman told BBC that "Amazon has zero tolerance for the sale of counterfeits on our site," and that it works closely with manufacturers and brands to pursue wrongdoers aggressively.

In the lawsuit, Apple says the cables and chargers “pose a significant risk of overheating, fire, and electrical shock.”

Unless you're sure your charger came from a genuine Apple source, be careful the next time you charge. And if you're deliberating a new Apple purchase, just go into the store until this is all sorted out.